AFSCME Prez Lee Saunders said he expects Hillary Clinton to become the next U.S. President. Saunders wants brothers and sisters to get involved in get out the vote efforts prior to this election. He said ‘AFSCME Strong’ is one of the union’s vehicles to reach out to brothers and sisters to get involved. President Saunders spent some time talking to brothers and sisters while he was in Philly attending the DNC.

AFSCME DC 47’s Next Wave’s Ethelind Baylor seen here with AFL-CIO President Richard Trumpka at labor event before the start of the DNC in Philly.

Ethelind welcomed brothers and sisters to Philly at the Sheraton Hotel in center city. President Trumpka said members of organized labor were the most effective folks involved in the to get-out-the-vote effort. He also urged brothers and sisters to educate delegates at the convention about what organized labor is doing nationwide. Material was provided to help in that education effort.

Public service workers work around the clock to make our communities better. We never quit. And the 42nd International Convention is about honoring our commitment.

In a year with so much at stake for us and our nation, AFSCME delegates have arrived in Las Vegas to strengthen our union for the challenges ahead.

This year, we averted a major threat when the U.S. Supreme Court in Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association effectively reaffirmed our right to come together in a union to negotiate collectively. But there is still much to be done to defend workers’ rights and fight for an economy that works for everyone.

What we do for ourselves, we do for millions of working families across the nation. That’s always been the case. In the next few days, as we chart the course of AFSCME’s future, we will recommit to never quit on our common values, our communities or our union. We’ll also commit to never quit on our country, by electing a leader for all working families in November.

Today we will hear from our president, Lee Saunders, and tomorrow from our secretary-treasurer, Laura Reyes. We have become stronger and better able to defend ourselves against attacks. Over the last four years, AFSCME members have recommitted to their union and many workers have joined as new members; and our political action program, PEOPLE, is bigger than ever.

On Tuesday we’ll welcome Secretary Hillary Clinton, a friend of AFSCME who has vowed as President to protect and expand workers’ rights and raise wages for the middle class. She’s with us. And we’re with her. Let’s show her our support!
On Wednesday we’ll demonstrate our commitment to workers’ rights by standing in solidarity with members of Culinary Workers Union Local 226 who work at the Trump International Hotel. They’re fighting for just and fair treatment, and a first contract that will support their families.

On Thursday we will hold our elections. Throughout the week we will celebrate the achievements and enduring spirit of AFSCME sisters and brothers from across the country

It’s going to be a week to show who we are, to prepare for a better future, and to strengthen our union to meet the challenges confronting us and our country. Let’s get to it!A

The Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union, which represents nearly 4,000 members at Mondelēz International, maker of Nabisco snack products, released the second video in its “The 600” series, that highlights the exorbitant corporate greed of Nabisco/Mondelēz executives and, more generally, the economic injustice of executive compensation which totaled over $36.8M for Mondelēz’s three top officers in 2015 alone. This compensation plan was in place despite the fact that Nabisco/Mondelēz recently laid off 600 workers from its Southside Chicago Bakery as a result of the Company outsourcing production of Oreos from Chicago to Salinas, Mexico.

The video will be used as a part of BCTGM’s Nabisco 600 tour, which has, since its inception, met with associations, retiree groups, and other social and activist organizations across the United States with nearly ten million direct members, educating them about BCTGM’s “Check the Label” campaign that encourages American consumers to boycott Mexican-made Nabisco products, and instead, buy those that are produced in America in support of American jobs. These efforts have significantly intensified the breadth and depth of the boycott and, at the same time, expanded its coalition of those who seek to keep companies like Nabisco/Mondelēz from outsourcing American jobs to lightly-regulated areas of the world with labor forces that work for poverty wages.

Consumers can support the “Check the Label” Campaign in several ways:

Check the Label: There are two ways to know if your Nabisco snacks are made in the U.S. or Mexico:
Check for the words “Made in Mexico” under the ingredient list.
Check the plant identification code, which is part of the expiration date code: do not buy if the initials “MM” or “MS” are listed (see visual in English and Spanish for more details). The initials AE, AH, AP, AX, AZ and XL all indicate American-made products.
Tell your grocery or convenience store manager to only stock American-made Nabisco products.
The National contract between Mondelēz International and over 2,000 of its 4,000 workers represented by the BCTGM, expired on February 29, 2016. BCTGM continues to be resolute in its commitment to securing a quality contract for its members – one that is in the very best interests of all members and their families today and into the future.

After a lengthy national search, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney announced the appointment of Cynthia Figueroa as Commissioner of the Philadelphia Department of Human Services. Figueroa currently serves as President and CEO of Congreso de Latinos Unidos, one of the city’s largest multi-service agency focused on the Latino community.
“The Department of Human Services is charged with one of the most critical and challenging tasks of city government—ensuring the safety and well being of vulnerable children and families.” Kenney said.

“She has the experience, expertise and passion to help the agency overcome challenges and ensure that our children are not only safe, but achieving the best possible outcomes.”
Figueroa has significant experience in providing services to children and families in need and is very familiar with Philadelphia DHS having served as Deputy Commissioner for the Department from 2008 to 2011. In that position, she was responsible for the oversight of what was then known as the Division of Community Based Prevention Services, including $77 million in contracted services delivered by over 225 private nonprofit organizations.
Since 2011, Figueroa has served as President and CEO of Congreso de Latinos Unidos. There she has fiscal oversight of $25 million dedicated to strengthening Latino communities through social, economic, education and health services. Under her leadership, Congreso opened a Federally Qualified Health Center, expanded its campus by adding the Trujillo Center, which houses the Pan American Charter School, and received national recognition for its work with data evaluation and its efforts to support other Latino nonprofits throughout the country. In addition to her roles at DHS and Congreso, Figueroa also served as Executive Director of Women Against Abuse for six years.
Early in her career, Figueroa worked on the front line serving clients in a variety of settings, including programs for female offenders, persons living with HIV/AIDS and victims of domestic violence.